Helping Out On Special Olympics

SOMERS — A couple of balls, a golf tournament, and button and T-shirt sales are among the fund-raisers being planned by civic groups in town to benefit the 1995 World Games of the Special Olympics.

The town will be hosting at least four athletes from Estonia next summer who are scheduled to compete in power lifting, bowling, and possibly sailing.

Community groups in town have committed themselves to raising at least $2,100 to pay for the athletes' transportation while in the United States. But the goal is to raise an additional $2,800 to pay for three or four more athletes to participate in the World Games, to be held in July in New Haven.

A nine-member committee -- made up of representatives from the Somers Rotary Club, the Somers Lions Club, the Knights of Columbus and the Somers Board of Education -- has been meeting since July to plan for the arrival of the athletes.

``We're all working together and everything is going good,'' said Robert Sullivan of the Knights of Columbus, who is the Special Olympics host town chairman.

The Rotary Club is sponsoring the Rotary Holly Ball scheduled for Dec. 2 at the Somers Inn Barn at 585 Main St. The proceeds will be divided in thirds to benefit the Special Olympics, the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Springfield and the club.

``We wanted to do the fund-raiser in December and thought Christmas was a good time for charity,'' said Peter Boggio, owner of the Somers Inn and treasurer of the Somers Rotary Club. ``Last year, we had a Valentine's dance and everyone had such a good time that we decided to do it again.''

Boggio said the Rotary Club hopes to raise a total of $4,000.

Tickets to the coat-and-tie affair are $50 each and include a dinner of baked stuffed shrimp or prime rib, dancing and an open bar. For more information, people may call Boggio at 749-2256 or Robert Smyth at 749-2287.

In February, the Knights of Columbus also plans to host a ball to benefit the Special Olympics.